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Zambian model , Amanda Sibeso Wamunyima , has been crowned Ms America, one of the most competitive shows in the United States of America.
Amanda beat the 50 other beauties representing their states in the USA. She holds the Ms. Florida crown, and that crown allowed her to compete on the National level as Ms America.
She now starts a long journey as Ms. America a role that involves a lot of social advocacy. This however will not be something new to Amanda who is currently the CEO of Miss Zambia USA, a beauty pageants for Zambian beauties who live in the USA.
Zambians should be proud of this achievement, and extend their congratulatory praise to Ms Amanda Sibeso Wamunyima for flying the Zambian flag to the highest.
Ms. America, not Miss America, has most of the trappings of a typical beauty pageant – the gowns, the interviews, the glamorous head shots.
But there are differences: It attracts women ages 26 to into their 60s. It doesn’t require a swimsuit or a talent. The winner is asked to use her crown to advance a worthy cause.
CEO Susan Jenkse, an Irvine resident, was the first Ms. America winner when she won as Ms. Colorado in 1997; she raised awareness about violence in schools just a couple years before the Columbine High School shootings in her home state.
The following essay, titled “Just another African country: the challenge of leadership in Zambia and the poverty of ambition“, was written by Tutu Fellow Linda Kasonde. It examines African leadership and more specifically, leadership in Zambia, as the country recently celebrated its 50th independence anniversary. She looks at issues such as poverty, disease, corruption and other structural challenges and how leaders have often stumbled at the hurdle of unifying leadership, choosing instead partistan, tribal or lesser pathways that have not advanced nations on the continent. She also discusses how women and young leaders are an excluded voice for leadership in the country. She suggests that by looking at Zambia’s leadership history, it provides some insight into the challenges facing leadership in the broader African context.
The essay:
Following the November 2014 parliamentary debate over the South African President Jacob Zuma’s infamous overspending on his Nkandla estate clearing President Zuma of any impropriety, a South African friend of mine remarked, “It’s so sad, we’re turning into just another African country”. Putting aside my friend’s disappointment at a loss of perceived superiority, as a Zambian, I started to think about what it meant to be “just another African country”.
African countries are often associated with poverty, disease, corruption, nepotism and autocracy. That is the leadership challenge faced by countries on the African continent and Zambia is no exception. Zambia celebrated fifty years of independence last year. As the country celebrated its golden jubilee, Zambians have been reflecting on what they have achieved as a nation and whether or not they are truly independent and, in the words of the national anthem, “proud and free”. The national coat of arms adopted on Independence Day, 24th October 1964, has on it the slogan “One Zambia, One Nation”, a call for the nation to stand united. In the words of a Tanzanian proverb, ‘without a leader ants are confused’. Ultimately, much of the fate of a nation rests in the quality of its leadership and their ability to provide purpose and direction to the citizens of the country. In doing so, Zambian leaders need to act in accordance with the words of President Barack Obama by steering clear of the “poverty of ambition”, “where people want to drive fancy cars and wear nice clothes and live in nice apartments but don’t want to work hard to accomplish these things”.
However, in my opinion, the poverty of ambition in Zambia and in Africa in general goes beyond just selfish ambition. It is the inability to visualise a brighter future for society beyond the present circumstances. It is the inability to see that an individual can lead without being the leader. It is the inability to embrace nationhood over tribal, sectorial or religious affiliation. In short, it is a lack of vision. The history of leadership in Zambia is but a microcosm of the wider African leadership challenge. I will look at whether the leaders of the nation have given the type of purpose and direction that is required and is it inspiring a new breed of selfless leaders. In doing so I will look at the role past Zambian leaders, women and the young emerging leaders have played and can play in redressing the poverty of ambition and indeed the poverty of leadership in the country.
The Old Guard
Zambia’s first President, Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda had been the leader of the liberation struggle from the British. After Independence his task was to build, and develop a national state. In a speech addressing the issue of African development and foreign aid on 18th March 1966, Dr. Kaunda stated as follows: “We are pioneers and, in a way we are faced with more problems than a pathfinder who has no beaten track before him. The pathfinder who enters a forest has got to find his own track. This in many ways is easier, because certain things have been done in a certain way by certain people from whom we have taken over and we are trying now to redirect things in our own way… We tread on very tough road for we are not only trying to change the course of history but we are also laying down a foundation…We must think and think and think again about how best we shall serve and not about how important we are as leaders of our people, or how we can safeguard our own positions as leaders”.
Kaunda strove to build a unified the nation from the desperate tribes that comprise Zambia. He was to do this by ensuring that no one tribe was more dominant than the other tribes in government. In addition he implemented development programmes to provide education, health and a better livelihood for Zambians. Zambians for the first time began to see the country as one nation. Most of the foundation of the development that we see today in the country was initiated during Kaunda’s rule. Zambia was a member of the frontline states and in that capacity played a pivotal role in supporting the struggle for independence of many of its neighbours in the Southern African region. As the economy faltered and economic discontent increased, Government repression increased. The initial multi-party democracy gave way to a legislated single party socialist state; Kaunda’s grip on power tightened and tolerance for dissent lessened. The country’s economic problems worsened in the 1980s and this led to increased agitation for a change in government.
In 1991, after twenty-seven years of what had become autocratic one-party rule, “KK” as he is popularly known, allowed multiparty politics to resume in the country. In the elections that followed Kaunda was defeated in a landslide victory by Frederick Chiluba of the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD). The people of Zambia were tired of economic hardship and the stifling of freedom of expression and freedom of association. After twenty-seven years of rule it appeared that Kaunda had lost sight of the ideal of service over self-preservation. Zambians decided that they needed a new direction in the form of multi-party democracy.
When President Chiluba came into power he inherited a broken economy dominated by state enterprises. Chiluba agreed to a World Bank inspired structural adjustment programme. The economy was liberalised and state enterprises privatized. Severe economic hardships and job losses followed. But Zambia turned the corner economically. Private investment began to flow and the economy began to grow. Following a government policy to sell government houses to citizens, many government employees became homeowners for the first time. Chiluba’s charisma inspired the nation and created hope for many. Chiluba started what has now become a trend of successive governments of prosecuting former heads of state. Kaunda’s citizenship was challenged in court and he was also implicated in the 1997 coup attempt. But ultimately what brought Chiluba down was allegations of corruption and self-enrichment for which he was eventually tried and found wanting in a civil claim brought against him in a London High Court in what is popularly called the “London judgement”. In addition, a bid to amend the Constitution to provide for a third term in office proved hugely unpopular. As one shop assistant reportedly told the BBC, “we don’t hate you Mr. President, but please just do the right thing and leave”.
Amidst protests, Chiluba abandoned his third term bid. In 2001, the country again went to the polls this time to elect a successor to Chiluba whom he himself had handpicked, Mr. Levy Patrick Mwanawasa SC who was also a member of the MMD.
President Mwanawasa was voted in with the lowest percentage of the electorate’s vote in the history of the country. While he was never a hugely popular president he was hailed for being tough on corruption and upholding the rule of law which led to the trial of his predecessor, Frederick Chiluba. Mwanawasa died suddenly on 3rd September 2009 during his second term of office, leaving his Vice-President Rupiah Banda to take over the presidency for the remaining two years of his term.
Mwanawasa left what was termed a “living will” for the people of Zambia in which he stated as follows: “I believe that national development could only be sustained if good governance, respect for the rule of law and democracy were encouraged and not taken for granted. To spur these virtues, the fight against corruption had to be waged relentlessly without treating anybody as a sacred cow… I was driven purely by a love for my country and the urgent need to transform it from poverty to prosperity. I have always been grieved to see so much poverty, hopelessness and anguish in the faces of our children, the leaders of tomorrow. It has always been my belief that nobody has the right to take away what we should be giving to these children and keep them in their selfish pockets”.
Following Mwanawasa’s demise, Rupiah Banda’s acceded to the presidency. His term was short-lived. In 2011 he was resoundingly beaten at the polls by Michael Sata of the Patriotic Front party, due to widely perceived self-aggrandisement and corruption. Banda’s defeat brought to an end the twenty-year rule of the MMD party in government. At the inauguration of his successor, Michael Sata of the Patriotic Front, Banda conceded that his party had lost touch with ordinary Zambians.
“Frederick Chiluba led us to a genuine multi-party state and introduced the private sector to our key industries. Zambia was liberated by an MMD ideal but maybe we became complacent with our ideals. Maybe we did not listen, maybe we did not hear… The Zambia we know today was built by an MMD Government. We know our place in history and we know that we can come back to lead again in the future. A new leadership will be chosen, and that leadership will be from the younger generation.
The Patriot Front Government, under the presidency of Michael Chilufya Sata came into power on a populist platform promising the people of Zambia “more money in your pockets”, jobs and an end to corruption. President Sata pursued pro-poor policies and infrastructure development amidst some concerns that the management of the economy and respect for the rule of law were on the decline. He was in office for three years until his untimely demise on 28th October 2014. President Edgar Chagwa Lungu succeeded President Sata, following a heavily contested presidential by-election that saw him win by the narrowest margin in Zambian electoral history. Whilst the Patriotic Front remains popular, there is some debate on whether their leadership is having a positive impact on the economy, democracy, constitutionalism and the rule of law in Zambia. After having spent ten years in the opposition, questions have been raised about the Patriotic Front’s preparedness, willingness and ability to implement the policies laid out in its party manifesto. Certainly, there are well-meaning Government officials who have the people’s interests at heart.
However, certain elements like the former Minister for Southern Province Daniel Munkombwe, an octogenarian, typifies the kind of leadership which leaders should not be aspiring to. He has served in three different governments under three different political parties and is on record as being in favour of the “politics of benefits”. According to Munkombwe – “There is nobody who is not using my philosophy of politics of benefits. There is nobody who goes into Parliament naked; we go into Parliament because of allowances. There is no more patriotism. Patriotism was only there when we were fighting colonialists…I know people will say Munkombwe has gone into government because he wants to eat but who does not want to eat?”
If indeed patriotism is dead, that is a sad indictment on the Zambian nation. But what can be done about it? Is women in leadership part of the answer to the problem?
Women in Leadership
According to one writer – “In 2011, only 11.5% of legislative positions were held by women, a decline from its 2006 value of 14.6%. Only 106 of the 709 candidates selected to stand for Parliament in 2011 were women, according to the Electoral Commission of Zambia. Further, the Electoral Commission data for 2011 shows that female representation in local government is also worryingly low at less than 6% while only 19 of Zambia’s 287 traditional leaders are women. This imbalance continues in the civil service where men hold the majority of decision-making decisions”.
So the question is why aren’t there more women leaders? According to Alisha Patel – “Conceptions of gender roles are such that women are faced with structural disadvantages and have less access to formal education and employment opportunities than their male counterparts. For example the female/male income ratio is 0.56, while the tertiary enrolment ratio is 0.46. This lack of financial resources, a prerequisite to politics in a country where election campaigns are increasingly expensive, often serves as an insurmountable barrier to political office”.
Added to that, as the Republican Vice-President’s wife, Dr. Charlotte Scott has stated, “a dangerous and unfortunately growing tendency to introduce hate-speech and viciously anti-women speech into political and civic debate” prevents women for standing for positions of leadership. According to Patel – “The 2011 Gender Sector Analysis noted that women are taught to refrain from voicing opinions and to behave modestly in the presence of men, including their husbands. Furthermore, women who have the relevant qualifications and expertise to apply for political positions are less confident of their ability given the prevailing social attitude, as well as being frequently looked down upon for not meeting the standards of femininity that traditional gender roles require”.
This leads to the small number of female leaders in the country at all levels. Thankfully, there are still women leaders prepared to step into leadership roles. Mrs. Lucy Shirley Changwe, former deputy minister for gender and women in development once said – “There were really two main reasons why I went into politics. The first was that I was struck by the expression “politics is a dirty game”. If it really is, then that is something that has to be addressed, because development will have to come through politics. Secondly I saw that educated, so-called elite people were not getting into politics. But for me, I thought that if I’m going to be educated, I must be able to get into the game and make a difference” .
This comes back to the point about the poverty of ambition; unless women are prepared to “have a dream” and see a future where there is equal opportunity for them in the sphere of leadership beyond the hardships they currently face to be recognised as leaders then we will never see a Zambia where women leaders are revered, uplifted and adequately represented.
Emerging leaders
How can the new generation of emerging male and female leaders stop the rot? Are the young, educated and talented Zambians prepared to stem the tide of the poverty of ambition to provide true self-less leadership to their people? Dora Siliya, a young politician and former minister in the former MMD government, insists that the poverty of leadership starts with the electorate who demand very little accountability from their leaders. According to Siliya, “the leaders are as good as the people they lead”. The lack of interest in governance issues in between elections seems to be the main cause of this problem. She says the people are not interested by leadership agendas of their leaders and would rather look at personalities rather than issues. Siliya says, “Your interest in leadership is directly proportional to the kind of leadership you will get” As Siliya puts it, the young, educated middle-class are not interested in politics because they are comfortable with their economic status. She advocates for increased numbers of educated people in the highest offices of government, as she puts it “Government business is business … good politics leads to good business”. Siliya says politics is about public service and personal and financial sacrifice, “There should be something honourable about public service”. She says that if people believe that politics is for “others” the population will be “lead by fools”.
On the issue of women in politics, Silya says that she was liberated by her family who helped her believe that she could be anything she wanted to be. The support of her family has been important to allowing her the freedom to enter politics. “It’s about the ability to have choices” which many women do not have in terms of childbearing, child rearing, marriage and economic freedom and freedom from the fear of being insulted in the public sphere. It is very difficult for young people and women to get into political parties without resources. On encouraging young emerging leaders, she says that it is not about replacing one generation of leadership with another there must be “a conscious movement to creating a pool of leaders so that at any given time we should not fail to identify leadership”. Additionally, if women are to fully participate in politics, economic factors that keep women from fully exercising political participation rights need to be addressed. Women are responsible for most of the caring for children, the disabled and the elderly. The factors impede women’s political participation and keep them from realizing their full citizenship rights. Women also face gender role stereotypes, male resistance to women’s participation, limited resources with which to participate and political structures that impede women’s political activity.
The youth make up the majority of the population and are largely underrepresented in decision-making positions. Elias Chipimo Junior, one of the new emerging young leaders of the country, had this to say on the role the youth can play in shaping the nation’s future – “Given motivation and inspiration to act [the youth] can play a vital role in eliminating poverty, corruption, delinquency and other social vices. We know that the energy, intelligence and resourcefulness [they] possess – if fully and properly utilised – can prosper the country greatly. [They] have the power to change this country to one that moves us towards the politics of issues from the politics of insults; the politics of ideas from the politics of ignorance; the politics of freedom from the politics of fear. [They] have the power to recognise and solve yours and your communities’ problems. [The youth] are indeed the power of the present and the future”.
But in considering the roles senior leaders, women and the youth can play in ensuring good leadership one thing is for certain; it will require a concerted effort of all stakeholders to ensure quality leadership.
Conclusion
In terms of the challenges of leadership in Africa, after fifty years of independence, is Zambia “just another African country”? Africa is a continent made up of fifty-four different countries. In order to be seen as such, each country needs to distinguish itself based on its own heritage and national identity. One thing is clear from the above narration of the history of leadership in Zambia, the nation has experienced peaceful transitions from one leader to the next. It is still “One Zambia, One Nation” – of that Zambians can be proud. However, the question remains, how can Zambians build on that foundation and redress the poverty of ambition and leadership in the country? I believe that the answer lies in cultivating a deep sense of patriotism that was prevalent in the leaders of the struggle for independence, in having a sense of pride in being the creators of their own destiny, and in the belief in a united Zambian nation.
The answer for Zambia’s leadership challenges lies in every citizen, young and old, owning the issue of governance in the country at all levels by taking an active interest in governance issues. What is required is increased awareness of the civic duties and civic rights of every citizen in order to truly reap the benefits of good leadership in the country. The answer lies in moving the citizenry from the poverty of ambition towards the belief in the power of ambition in Zambian citizens and their leaders as the implementers of the nation’s vision for the future. In the words of the philosopher Eric Hoffer, “the only way to predict the future is to have the power to shape it”. If only Zambians knew how much power they have.
The author is a legal practitioner in Lusaka and Vice President of the law Association of Zambia.
Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba
GOVERNMENT says it will increase salaries for public service workers next year but will ensure that the overall size of the public sector pay as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) does not rise over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period.
Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba has also said Government has resumed the recruitment of public sector workers in 2015, especially for frontline services in the education, health and public sectors.
According to a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday by Ministry of Finance public relations officer Chileshe Kandeta, Mr Yamba said the public service pay is programmed to fall to 8.4 percent of GDP by 2018 from nine percent in 2015.
“Government will award pay increases to all public sector workers from 2016. it is imperative that the overall size of public sector pay as a share of GDP does not rise over the MTEF period,” Mr Yamba said.
He said Government is committed to maintaining fiscal position by limiting borrowing which will create budgetary space to increase allocations to critical programmes like education and social protection.
Mr Yamba said during the 2016-2018 medium term, Government will focus on consolidating its fiscal position to create fiscal space for vital public services and infrastructure development and ensure that the benefits of economic growth are shared widely by all citizens of every age and gender, and by all regions of Zambia.
“Concomitantly, Government will allocate funds raised externally to strategic sectors of the economy, especially transport, communications and energy, and also to key socio-economic infrastructure to enhance the delivery of essential public services, especially health, education and water and sanitation, to its people,” he said.
Mr Yamba said Government wants the people to know that it is resolved to follow a prudent fiscal path and will ensure that domestic borrowing over the MTEF period is limited to no more than 1.0 percent of GDP so as not to crowd out domestic investment nor put undue pressure on domestic interest rates.
He said other reforms will be undertaken to realign spending – especially in the agriculture sector, where the roll-out of the e-voucher scheme is expected to bring efficiencies and cost savings in the operation of the Farmer Input Support Programme.
Mr Yamba also said operations of the Food Reserve Agency will be refocused onto its core function of maintaining the strategic food reserves and that Government will continue with its efforts to increase the mobilisation of resources domestically through tax and non-tax revenues.
He said the Zambia Revenue Authority will continue its programmes to raise tax compliance levels and that tax and non-tax revenues are projected to rise to over 20 percent of GDP in 2018.
President Edgar Lungu tees off the Golf tournament at State House during the fundraising Golf tournament
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has stated that the current prevailing economic challenges cannot be attributed to any individual or form of mismanagement of the national economy because the difficulties are largely influenced by various factors across the globe.
He said the current economic challenges are influenced by various factors across the globe and Zambia is not immune to the effects.
“My government is, however, doing its level best to reposition, so as to mitigate the effects of these harsh conditions. Therefore, such efforts definitely require the participation, patience and endurance.
And President Lungu has said that the Patriotic Front (PF) is determined to raise funds to help the needy in society without dipping into the State coffers.
The President, who was speaking during a prize-giving ceremony of a PF fundraising golf tournament at State House in Lusaka yesterday, urged party members to take a leading role in helping the needy in society using fundraising ventures.
Part of the proceeds from the tournament will go to Kasisi Orphanage.
“This gesture is commendable as it complements efforts that my government has been making in improving the socio-economic status of the citizenry including the needy,” said Mr Lungu who urged the PF members to reach out to the needy and not only fundraise for the welfare of the party.
Mr Lungu said government will continue to uphold principles of good accountability of public resources especially in the wake of severe financial constraints the country is currently facing.
PF chairperson Ngosa Simbyakula said the party has embarked on a venture to fundraise in view of the next general elections, but the President, who jokingly wondered when the elections will be held, directed Dr Simbyakula to take the issue of elections date to Parliament.
“I am happy to hear that the elections are next year…says who? They will come when I announce. It is a pity that we have to wait for Edgar to announce the date for elections,” he said.
Farmers in Moyo chiefdom of Pemba district found knitting the 50 Kilogrammes bags of maize for sell at one of the Food Reserve Agency depots in the area.
THE Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has bought nearly 50 per cent of the total maize it has projected to purchase from farmers, two weeks since it started the maize buying exercise.
Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Permanent Secretary David Shamulenge said yesterday that FRA has to-date bought 231,298 metric tonnes of maize representing 46.3 per cent of the total 500,000 metric tonnes it has projected to purchase for national strategic food reserve.
Mr Shamulenge said in a statement yesterday that the projected purchase of 500,000 metric tonnes would be attained by September 15, this year.
“Thereafter, Government through FRA will mop up and purchase all the excess maize for both local and international market taking into consideration the maize deficit in the region,” he said.
Government reiterates its call to FRA to pay farmers within two weeks of receipt of maize and Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Given Lubinda has instructed provincial and district agriculture coordinators to monitor and ensure that farmers were paid promptly.
Mr Shamulenge said farmers needed not to worry that their maize would not be bought because Government would ensure that the whole crop was purchased by FRA, private sector and the international market.
Government is happy by the positive response of farmers to sell maize to FRA since the buying exercise started and especially after President Lungu increased the price from K70 to K75 per 50 kilogramme bag.
This, Mr Shamulenge said, has created positive competition among maize buyers offering more than K75 per 50 kg bag to the benefit of the farmer.
“Government wishes to assure farmers throughout the country that all the maize will be bought by FRA and the private sector given the conducive crop marketing environment it has created,” he said.
And SCORES of farmers in Pemba district, Southern Province have described as impressed the move by President Edgar Lungu to direct the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to increase the purchasing price of maize.
The agency was buying a 50 kilogramme bag of maize at K75 from K70 for the 2014/2015 maize marketing season.
FRA targets buying 500,000 metric tonnes of maize grain for strategic reserves in the 2014/2015 marketing season.
Scores of farmers, who were found offloading and repackaging thousands of bags of maize at one of the depots in Chief Moyo’s areas, praised President Lungu for his directive to the agency.
The farmers, mostly women said the new price was beneficial as it would enable them to accumulate more profits compared to the previous marketing seasons.
Agness Siakoola was happy that FRA has started buying the maize and that she was among the first farmers to deliver the commodity to the depot.
“For me, it’s a very good price compared to previous years and I know from what I will sell, I will make a small profit,” she said.
Bernard Hamoonga said the sale of maize to FRA was more profitable than private-buyers who, in most cases, were exploiting farmers in rural areas.
Mr Hamoonga also commended the Government for delivering on time the D-Compound fertiliser to various districts.
More than 150,000 farmers across the province would access inputs under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) during the 2015/2016 farming season.
Agriculture and Livestock Minister Given Lubinda recently flagged-off the distribution exercise for this year’s farming inputs countrywide at the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ).
The FISP beneficiaries in the province were expected to receive an assortment of D-Compound and top dressing fertiliser with maize, groundnuts and sorghum seeds from Government.
Farmers in Moyo chiefdom of Pemba district found knitting the 50 Kilogrammes bags of maize for sell at one of the Food Reserve Agency depots in the area.Farmers in Moyo chiefdom of Pemba district found knitting the 50 Kilogrammes bags of maize for sell at one of the Food Reserve Agency depots in the area.Farmers in Moyo chiefdom of Pemba district found knitting the 50 Kilogrammes bags of maize for sell at one of the Food Reserve Agency depots in the area.
Zesco United maintained their seven-point lead at the summit of the FAZ Super Division table while Mighty Mufulira Wanderers rose to 4th place after both sides won their respective matches on Sunday in a doubleheader at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
Defending champions Zesco beat Konkola Blades 1-0 to extend their unbeaten run to 12 successive matches after picking up their third win in a role.
Kenyan defender David Owino headed in the games only goal in the 50thn minute off a Justin Zulu free-kick.
Zesco have 52 points, seven more than second placed Power Dynamos with eight game left to play.
In the lunchtime kickoff, Mighty won their second straight game after a 2-0 away win over Forest Rangers.
Eric Chibuye handed Wanderers the lead in the 15th minute to give the visitors a 1-0 halftime lead before Fumbeni Muwowo scored the final goal five minutes before fulltime.
Mighty, who were promoted this year after ten years in Division One North, move from 6th to 4th on 35 points, 17 behind Zesco.
Blades are 4th from bottom inside in the relegation zone in 13th place on 22 points from as many games played.
MMD President Dr Nevers Sekwila Mumba has alleged that President Edgar Lungu is more dangerous and immoral that the late President Sata in the way he conducts his politics. Speaking when he was interviewed by Zack Chavula on Hot FM 87.7 on 27 August 2015 concerning morality and the alleged bribing of the MMD candidate for upcoming Solwezi West parliamentary by-election, Dr Mumba commended the late President Michael Sata for not using MMD MPs as campaign managers when the poached them from the ruling party.
Grand Coalition
The Patriotic-PF has unearthed a scheme in which the Grand Coalition on the People Driven Constitution and Law Association of Zambia-Laz allegedly intend to go to court this week to block the Constitution Amendment Bill.
PF Media and Publicity Vice Chairperson Sunday Chanda has charged that such schemes by the Grand Coalition and Laz will only serve to frustrate efforts to give Zambians a new constitution .
Mr Chanda said this at a press briefing in Lusaka.
He said the PF government is committed to delivering a new constitution to Zambians.
Mr Chanda says while government has proposed to amend non-contentious issues in the constitution through parliament, it has remained consistent to subject non-contentious issues to a referendum.
At the same function PF member Ngande Mwanajiti refuted claims that the PF government has departed from the agenda to enact a people driven constitution.
Mr Mwanajiti also said parliament has power to amend non-contentious issues in the constitution.
But when contacted for a response Law Association of Zambia -LAZ President George Chisanga says he has not received any formal report on the resolutions of the Grand Coalition on the People Driven Constitution.
Miracle By Fire Praise Team releases Chileshe Bwalya‘s brand new music video titled ‘Paka Tumyumfwe‘ featuring Ephraim.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcVsGN6eVak BY KAPA187
On August 28, 1928, in the Scottish highlands, began the secret story of oil.
Three men had an appointment at Achnacarry Castle – a Dutchman, an American and an Englishman.
The Dutchman was Henry Deterding, a man nicknamed the Napoleon of Oil, having exploited a find in Sumatra. He joined forces with a rich ship owner and painted Shell salesman and together the two men founded Royal Dutch Shell.
The American was Walter C. Teagle and he represents the Standard Oil Company, founded by John D. Rockefeller at the age of 31 – the future Exxon. Oil wells, transport, refining and distribution of oil – everything is controlled by Standard oil.
The Englishman, Sir John Cadman, was the director of the Anglo-Persian oil Company, soon to become BP. On the initiative of a young Winston Churchill, the British government had taken a stake in BP and the Royal Navy switched its fuel from coal to oil. With fuel-hungry ships, planes and tanks, oil became “the blood of every battle”.
The new automobile industry was developing fast, and the Ford T was selling by the million. The world was thirsty for oil, and companies were waging a merciless contest but the competition was making the market unstable.
That August night, the three men decided to stop fighting and to start sharing out the world’s oil. Their vision was that production zones, transport costs, sales prices – everything would be agreed and shared. And so began a great cartel, whose purpose was to dominate the world, by controlling its oil.
Four others soon joined them, and they came to be known as the Seven Sisters – the biggest oil companies in the world.
In the first episode, we travel across the Middle East, through both time and space.
We waged the Iran-Iraq war and I say we waged it, because one country had to be used to destroy the other.
– Xavier Houzel, an oil trader
Since that notorious meeting at Achnacarry Castle on August 28, 1928, they have never ceased to plot, to plan and to scheme.
Throughout the region’s modern history, since the discovery of oil, the Seven Sisters have sought to control the balance of power.
They have supported monarchies in Iran and Saudi Arabia, opposed the creation of OPEC, profiting from the Iran-Iraq war, leading to the ultimate destruction of Saddam Hussein and Iraq.
The Seven Sisters were always present, and almost always came out on top.
President Edgar Lungu delivering his speech during the meet the President Fundraising dinner at Mulungushi Conference center
The president of Zambia, H.E Edgar Chagwa Lungu, will be attending the United Nations meetings this September. The meetings attract all the world leaders as they converge on New York City to discuss international politics. Past Zambian presidents, including Michael Sata, have attended this meeting.
During this time, PF USA, the branch of the Patriotic Front in the USA, will be hosting the president for dinner and below are the fees:
The first Tier Of Fees are:
$1000 with a processing fee of 39.95 = $1040 is the first tier of fees for the dinner. This gets you a seat closer to the president. Other than that, this fee can also feed 130 Zambian families for a month and can send 10 Zambian school girls to school for a year in primary school.
The Second Tier of Fees are:
Gold VIP which will costs you $500. That’s half of the Platinum VIP. At an 8ZMK to $1 exchange rate this is 4000ZMK; this again can assist a poor family send 5 girls to school for an entire year.
The Third Tier of fees are:
$300 (Silver). This again is money that can go a long way for a family. Finally the last tier of fees is Bronze which is at $200.
While I certainly understand there are costs associated with meeting the president, we have the Zambian Mission to the UN @ 237 E 52nd St, New York, NY 10022 Tel: 212 888 5770 that we already pay rent for; so if the organizers used this venue they would cut on the costs of hosting the president which would eat away on the ticket pricing. If other items were needed, such as drinks and snacks, we would have justified at the most between $50 to $100 ticket pricing. This would have been ideal considering the economics of this situation.
The president of Zambia is coming to represent our country and give it its continued platform on international stage. In that same light, I would love to see our president also meet people who, without a doubt continue to carry the mantle of citizenry in this foreign land. I do not think the prices being advertised by PF USA should be tolerated by our president because they automatically alienate many of us who can’t afford. Accessibility to the leader of our country should not follow the same classism that is endemic to our larger society in Zambia. Zambia is not an aristocracy but a democracy.
The disparity between the rich and the poor (kwa and ku) continue to grow in economic life in Zambia, I do not think that this should also be reflected in the accessibility that we get for the men and women who are leading our country. All people, rich and poor, should receive an equitable access to the leaders who represent them. These outrageous, discriminatory prices do not serve the interest of a democratic society. If at all there should be a price to attend the event where people can meet the president, it should not discriminate against Zambians who may not afford the $1000. To many of us $1000 is one month rent, $500 will support a Zambian family in the USA with two months’ worth of food, $200 is the price of text books for a Zambian college student; all these people who may have an interest to attend the dinner won’t be able to do so because it is financially discriminatory. ONLY those KU will have access to him, and as a result we will continue to structurally disfranchise Zambian families who can’t buy their way to the political round table.
some makishi during the likumbi lya mize ceremony in zambezi
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has appealed to traditional leaders in the country to help discard retrogressive traditional practices.
President Lungu said as Zambia embraces good cultural practices, there was need to discard traditional practices that did not add value to the well-being of the people.
“Our traditional leaders across the country should take the lead in fighting risky traditional practices such as inheritance of widows, sexual cleansing, early childhood marriage and Gender Based Violence (GBV),” Mr Lungu said.
The President said this during the Likumbi Lya Mize traditional ceremony of the Luvale people held in Zambezi West yesterday.
He said efforts being made by various stakeholders on prevention of HIV and AIDS, promotion of girl child education and restoration of harmony and unity in society could only be attained if bad traditional practices were discarded.
He appealed to men to be part of this reformation and also spoke firmly against tribalism appealing to Zambians to coexist “just like our forefathers did”.
“My Government shall not tolerate acts of sectionalism and violence particularly those which are ethnically or politically motivated because we are a country anchored on the “One Zambia, One Nation slogan ,’’ he said.
He appealed to traditional leaders to be ambassadors in promoting peace and unity among the people.
The President also reaffirmed his directive to line ministries and other Government institutions to offer preferential treatment to qualified youth led enterprises in awarding contracts in public procurement process.
President Lungu recently launched a 2015 National Youth policy and action plan for youth empowerment and employment which might result in more than 5000 jobs for the youth by 2016.
The President also highlighted the number of developmental projects that Government was spearheading in the province such as construction of roads and other social facilities.
He also directed the Vice President’s office to send officials to Zambezi West to conduct a comprehensive assessment of all the bridges that require immediate attention to avert threat to the people in the area.
Speaking earlier, President Lungu said he wants to be remembered as a politician who keeps his promises.
“This is an occasion of joy, love and expression of unity. I want to walk the talk, I want to be a politician who would be remembered for delivering on my promise,” Mr Lungu said.
And senior Chief Mumena the Kaonde people of Solwezi said the people of North Western province were happy that President Lungu had fulfilled the promise to attend the ceremony.
Chief Mumena added that they were happy with the number of visits President Lungu had made to the province since he ascended to Presidency.
He said traditional ceremonies helped to bring people from various places together and demonstrated tranquillity.
Chief Mumena said it was high time traditional ceremonies were regarded as an economic activity for the districts.
“Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust…”
(Psalm 40:4, ESV)
Choose to Trust
Trusting in the Lord is a decision we make just like we would choose anything else in life. You chose what to wear today, you probably chose what you would have for breakfast, and you can choose to trust God today, too! When you choose to trust God, there is a peace that settles on the inside of your heart. There are blessings in store for you when you trust Him.
No matter what you are facing in life today, have faith that God will come through for you. Trust that His Word is always true. In Psalm 32, David calls God his “hiding place.” In other words, not only can you choose to trust God in the midst of your difficulty, you can actually hide in Him and find rest for your soul. When the circumstances of life seem overwhelming, choose to trust that God is ordering your steps. Find security in Him knowing that He’s making your crooked places straight and leading you into the everlasting life He has prepared for you!
A Prayer for Today
“Father, today I choose to put my trust in You. I know that You are a good and faithful God, and I trust that You have my best interest at heart. Help me stay focused on Your goodness today in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
The opposition UPND has called on the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to stop the ongoing countrywide registration of voters until the issuance of National Registration Card (NRC) is completed.
UPND Deputy Spokesperson Edwin Lifwekelo has since petitioned Electoral Commission of Zambia Chairperson Justice Esau Chulu to consider putting on hold the registration of voters until the issuance of NRC’S is complete in all designated areas.
Mr Lifwekelo said the issuance of National Registration Cards being supervised by Home Affairs Minister Davies Mwila was to greater extent a sham especially in areas perceived to be opposition strong holds.
“We can only assume maybe it’s because the Minister responsible Davies Mwila is a PF cadre and would like to disadvantage the opposition. We wish to serve a warning that UPND with other political parties and stakeholders will not take kindly to this ploy and will not hesitate to seek a court order restraining ECZ from proceeding with the registration of voters if Issuance of NRCs in other provinces is not abandoned for now,” Mr Lifwekelo warned.
He said Government is fully aware that a lot of first time voters especially the youths are eager to obtain NRC’s and subsequently register as voters.
“This is their democratic right which they must exercise without fear or favour,” Mr Lifwekelo observed.
And Mr Lifwekelo has urged UPND members that they are free to wear party barrettes which form part of the party uniform, explaining that the directive by the Patriotic Front (PF) leadership to ban the use of barrettes was purely an internal matter and police should stop misleading the public by claiming that barrettes have been banned.
“The PF directive was very clear, that they had been infiltrated by criminal elements within their file and ranks who were using PF barrettes to rob people hence the ban. Our uniform has a UPND symbol embedded on them and police can easily identify our members. Otherwise police must stop intimidating our members who have nothing to do with criminals that have infiltrated PF.”
She now starts a long journey as Ms. America a role that involves a lot of social advocacy. This however will not be something new to Amanda who is currently the CEO of Miss Zambia USA, a beauty pageants for Zambian beauties who live in the USA.
